Church Parking Lot Transformed Into Affordable Housing for Seniors

Hope Solutions and partners create a cottage community in Northern California.

By Donna Kimura

*Each cottage unit at Hope Village is about 272 square feet and includes a kitchenette and a large bathroom.*

Part of a church parking lot has been transformed into affordable homes for vulnerable seniors in Walnut Creek, California.

Six factory-built units are poised to welcome their first residents on the site of the Grace Presbyterian Church, which wanted to turn an underutilized section of its property to good use.

Hope Village is a model for other faith-based communities, according to pastor Mark Burnham.

The idea for the project came at the urging of the Walnut Creek Homeless Task Force and then made a reality by a partnership of organizations, including Hope Solutions, HomeAid Northern California, PulteGroup, and Firm Foundation Community Housing.

The project may only be six units, but a “journey of 1,000 miles begins with the first step,” says Deanne Pearn, CEO of Hope Solutions, the developer and operator, at a recent ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new development.“This is just the beginning of what’s possible in our community,” she said.

Hope Village will prioritize adults 62 and older who have been unhoused. Residents will be referred through the coordinated entry system for the Contra Costa Continuum of Care.